Flying Pasties: Privacy from Airport Body Scanners

By Scott McCartney

FlyingPasties.com

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This one may fall under the “sucker born every minute’’ category, but it is entertaining. A Las Vegas man, Michael Luongo, has created a product calledFlying Pastiesthat he claims will hide your private parts from TSA body scanners. TheHuffington Postand others have mentioned it.

For prices starting at $16.99 plus shipping, you get a set of shields complete with catchy sayings. A set for woman can be ordered with “Only my husband sees me naked,’’ and the male version says the same with “wife.’’ The shields also come with a peace sign on them, or simply the word “Private.’’

Cute, but do they work? If they do, you likely are buying yourself a lot more trouble at the screening checkpoint. If your body scan shows any sort of object hidden under your clothes, TSA will conduct a pat-down search. And you probably don’t want your breasts and genitals patted down by screeners.

And if they don’t work -– the X-rays and radio waves used in full-body scanners simply see through the pasties, then, well, you spent 20 bucks on ridiculous undergarments. Or maybe party favors.

The company, which hasn’t yet responded to an email asking what material is used to make the pasties and whether it blocks X-rays, says the shields are designed to be easily removed if you are questioned at a screening checkpoint. You stick them to your body inside undergarments or attach them to clothes with an adhesive hook, and just pull them out to show screeners.

“Whenever your airport screener questions you about your Flying Pasties, simply remove them and present it to them,’’ Mr. Luongo said on his website.